Automobile bumper



April 9, 1929. J. SCHULMAN AUTOMOBILE BUMPER Filed Nov. 13. 1928 Patented Apr. 9, 1929.

JOSEPH SOI-IULMAK, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

AUTOMOBILE BUMPER.

Application filed November 13, 1928. Serial No. 315,058.

This invention relates to bumpers for automobiles or other vehicles, and has for its principal object the provision oi a bumper which shall protect the side or" the vehicle from damage by collision.

The invention further seeks to protect the step or running board and tenders oil a vehicle without, however, interfering with the entrance or exit from the vehicle. To this end the bumper is movable out of the way when the step is to be used to enter or leave the vehicle.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a bumper which is automatically movable. Accordingly, the bumper is adapted to be movable between extreme positions by the operation of the door. More particularly, the opening of a door serves to move the bumper out of the way, while, it desired, a spring may be provided to return the bumper to normal position when the door closes.

The invention also seeks a bumper of a rugged character which is capable of resisting shocks and impacts of great force. To this end, the bumper, in its normal position, may be reinforced by a frame work, and, 1t desired, this frame work may be so constructed as to take the place of the step or running board of the vehicle.

The invention also seeks a bumper which practical from the standpoint of ease and cheapness of manufacture and convenlence in use.

These and other objects of the invention and the means for their attainment will be more apparent from the iollowing detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, illustrating various iodilications by which the invention may be realized, and in which Figure 1 is a view in side elevation showing bumper t'or the side of a vehicle in operative position to protect the running board and tenders.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, but showing the door of the vehicle open and the bumper moved out of the way so that the step may be used to enter or leave the vehicle.

il igure 3 is a plan view showing a modified form or bumper provided with reinforcing or strengthening means.

Figure 4; is a transverse vertical section on the line l i of Figure 3.

The drawings illustrate somewhat schematically, a bumper for use ith motor vehicles, but it is to be understood that the invention is equally applicable in any situation 1n which the side oi the vehicle is to be protected against impact. The bumpers are moved out of the way to permit the door to open and, in the preferred embodiment, the bumper moving mechanism is actuatedybv a door. A vehicle provided with only one door is illustrated but the invention is obviously applicable to a vehicle with a pluralitv oi doors on each side. The tenders of a ni otor vehicle are shown at 10, the wheels in out line at 11 and a door 12 is hinged at 13. The step or running board 1& extends between the tenders 10.

Carried by the step i land preferably by means of spaced brackets 20, secured beneath the step, are spaced shafts 21 conveniently entending perpendicular to the longitudinal side frame members 16 of the chassis frame. The brackets 20 serve as bearings within which the shafts 21 turn. On the outer end of each shaft is carried an arm 22 extend ing normally in a generally vertical direction and carrying the bumper members proper. As illustrated, the bumper members compr1se parallel bars 24, the lower bar being supported and connected to the upper bar by means of links 25 pivoted at their ends to the respective bars. The upper bar is shown pivoted, to the ends of the arms 22. It will thus be seen that when the shafts 21 are rotated, say in a clockwise direction when looking at Figures 1 and 2, the bumper 2t. will be moved from the po 11 shown in lligure 1, which is the normal prolectinc po sition tor the bumper above the plane or the step 1 1 to the position shown in llig. are 0 ,i J I M which is substanrwlly in the plane ol' the step 1 and permits the step to be used in entering or leaving the vehicle. To cli'r this movement, one of the shalts 21 and pro erably that nearestthe door hinge 12}, carries rigidly therewith a bevel gear 28 meshing with a bevel gear 29 carried upon a vertical shaft 30. The vertical shaft 30 is preterablv journallcd at its lower end in a bracket 33 conveniently supported from one of the ion gitudinal side frame members 16 oi. the vehicle, and also turns Within a bearing member 34: mounted on the step let. The upper end oi? the shaft terminates above the bottom of the door, but the shaft 30 is offset from the hinge line so as to permit the door to be opened and closed without obstruction. The

upper endoffthe shaftBO'carriesanarm 36" extendinglongitudinally of the body of the .Vehicle and carrying at its outer end aroller- 37 adapted tobe heldagainst the door. To.

maintain the outer end of arms 36 always against the door any convenient IQSlllQIlt A means may be used.

lVhen the dor12 i's-opened; as shownin Figure 2, the arm 36 is caused to travel with the door, the. roller 37 travelling over the outer surface of the door and the-vertical shaft 30 iscaused to iturn 1n-1ts. bearings and i (with it, of course, thebevelgearflt). Rotation of't'hebeveligear 29 rotatesthe bevel gear 128} inaa. clockwise direction, lookingin thedirectionof Figures 1' and 2, and-with-it, of

course, the-shaft. 52-1, andt'he rotation of'the shaftQl in=a.clock-wise direction causesthe I Y movement of the armi22 also in a c-lock-wise direction, which movement is transmitted-Itothe other arms22 through the bumpermem- 7 bersf24, and' thus the opening-ofthe doorw serves to move the; bumperfronrthe position-- shown in Figurel to the position shown in F gure 2, so as to provide an unobstructed entrance or exit'from-the Vehicle. When-the door; is againiclosed,the bumper members are returned-to theposition show-nin- Figure 1 through .theanstrumentality of a spring "50 encirclingone or moreof theshafts 21. -One endoftthislspri-ng, as at 51, issecured to thestep 14. oris otherwi se retained- I against dis- I placement with I respeot'thereto. The other;

endrof theispringis-seeured, as 52, to the slzaftfll; Thus, when the door; is opened and thesha-ft turned in a clockwise-direction, .the'springis twisted, and theenergy-thus stored therein is u-tilized to-return thebumperto upper position when the: doon-isclosed'.

arms 42 extends a rear frame'mem r 44. Between the rear frame-member 44 and the bumper bar 24, there may extend a plurahty {of ribs46 forminga-grid, which, when thefender ismoved down to the out-of-the way p'ositio'n shown in; Figure Q may" serve as a surface upon which to step when entermg-or leaving the-vehicle, Obviously, this grid 46' beo'mitted and-the grid 46*used' as the step.

It; will thus be seen that a bumper-is pre-v vided' which may be normally (,llSPOSGCP in a position where it will'aflord complete protection of the fenders and" sides of a vehicle but which is automatically movable out oi the Way whenadoor is opened to permit the unobstructed passage of a person entering or leavingthe vehicle. In one modification, the

bumper may serve as the step, thus simplifying the structure and reducing to that extent the weight of the vehicle.

Various modifications will occur to, those skilled in t-he art inthe position and disposition' of the component elements goingto makeupthis invention as a whole, and no limitation is intended-by-the phraseology of the foregoing specification orillustrations in the accompanying drawings, except as indicated in the'appcnded claims.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with a vehicle of'a bumper disposed along the side thereof, and means to move said bumper out of the way to permit egress from the vehicle.

2. The combination with avehi'cle having a door, a movable bumper disposed along the side of-the-vehic-le, andmeans to move the bumper by movement of'the door.

3. In an automobilein combination, a door, a step, a bumper carried by the step, and means operable to move the bumper by movementno-i the door;

4;. In an automobile having a door and-a step, in combination,- a shaft rotatably carried'by the step, an arm carried by the shaft, a-bumper' moved by tliearm-and' means to rotatethe shaft operable by movement of the door.- 7

5; In an automobilehaving a door and a. step, asha-ft rota-tably carried by the step, an arm carried by the shaft, a bumper carried by the arm, a shaft perpendicular to the first namedsha-ft, operableconneetions betweenthe shafts, an arm carried by the second named shaft and adapted to be engaged by the door.

' 6. In an automobile having a door' andfa step,"a shaft rotatably carried by the step. an arm carried by the shaft, a bumper moved byv the arm, a shaft perpendicular to the first named shaft, operable connections between the shafts, an arm carried by thesecond named'shaft and adapted tobe engaged by the door to rotate the second shaftwhcn the door is opened and resilient means to return the shaftto initial position when the door is closed.

In testimony whereof Iafl'ix my signature.

JOSEPH? SCHULMAN. 

